Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Blair's Exit Plan (2)

Tony Blair sought yesterday to increase the pressure on the US Government to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a way of preventing moderate Muslims from being exploited by extremists.

Appearing by video link before the Iraq Study Group, set up by President Bush to chart a new course for the country, the Prime Minister said repeatedly that the biggest factor in getting moderate Muslim countries to support the new Iraq would be progress on the Palestinian issue.

Let's analyze this.

Blair must want the US to pressure either Israel, or the Muslim states involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or both.

The Muslim states involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are:

- Palestine, which is committed to destroying Israel.- Egypt, which arms the Palestinians (via the Philadelphi route).- Iran, which is committed to destroying Israel with nukes.- Syria, a client of Iran and a sworn enemy of Israel, which has repeatedly attempted ro conquer it.- Lebanon, which hosts Hizbollah, which is sworn to destroy Israel.- France (now effectively Muslim), which provides air cover for Hizbollah's re-armament.

Pressuring these states to change course would indeed lead to peace in the Mideast, since Israel's actions are purely defensive .

But Blair can't be suggesting the US pressure these states. The biggest - Iran - has successively resisted US and EU pressure to stop the nuke program it plans on using to destroy Israel.

So what Blair really wants is the US to pressure Israel to make concessions. Such pressure is possible since the US provides financial and military aid to Israel. The only concession available to Israel (short of mass suicide) is ceding territory to the above Muslim states. But 5 months ago, these states exploited two Israeli territorial concessions to attack it.

From which it follows that Blair seeks American help in facilitating the destruction of the Jewish state.

Blair should be careful what he wishes for - Israel will not go quietly.